Autumn Sausage and Apple Pie
A few months ago when fresh apples were just starting to show up at the farmer’s market, I decided to make a pie. But this wasn’t your standard apple pie. I wasn’t testing out desserts for Thanksgiving. Instead, I wanted to make a savory pie for dinner. Something that used the autumn fruit (hence the “autumn” title) but used meat as well. So, I took an old recipe I made with pears, and substituted apples instead.
Switching from pears to apples subtly changes the flavor of the pie. Since pears tend to be on the sweeter side and certain apples are a little more tart, the flavor is definitely more earthy and has a distinct autumn feel. I’m not sure if it’s the apples or the cheese or even the meat that give the pie those earthy flavors. All I know is that I loved this pie, and my family loved this pie. It’s delicious. It’s sweet. It’s savory and it’s easy as… well… pie to make.
Autumn Sausage and Apple Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 store-bought pie crust
- 1 pound bulk sausage
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 ripe apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the pie crust in a greased 9-inch pie plate and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the crust bakes, cook the sausage and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Spread the sausage/onion mixture into the prepared pie crust.
- Arrange the sliced apples in a design on top of the sausage mixture. Sprinkle the cheese over the whole pie and bake until the cheese is melted and the apples are tender, about 25 minutes. Slice and serve immediately.
